This application relates to apparatus for assembling bearings and in particular to apparatus for the greasing and insertion of needle pins in bearings.
In the past it has been customery to assembly bearings in two separate operations requiring at least two separate assembly machines to perform such functions. In such operations the bearing housing is first loaded with grease. The greased housing is then manually inserted into a holder and retained there. Roller needles are fed into a closed circular conformation and then pushed by a manually actuated impeller for inserting the entire circle of needles simultaneously into the bearing housing in the desired position. The pin bearings are temporarily retained in place within the bearing housing by the grease.
The above described manner of assembling a bearing by the use of two separate apparatus results in a great loss of time and efficiency during the assembly procedure. In addition two apparatus were needed to perform the function of greasing and loading of roller needles in the bearing housing, thereby increasing the amount of floor space necessary to perform such functions.
Therefore, an object of the subject invention is an apparatus for performing the functions of greasing and loading the roller needles in a bearing housing simultaneously and in one action.
A further object of the subject invention is an apparatus for automatically greasing and loading roller needles in a bearing housing.
These and other objects are attained in accordance with the present invention wherein there is provided a semiautomatic apparatus for greasing and loading roller needles to form universal roller bearings In the apparatus of the subject invention, the roller needles are fed by gravity into the bearing feed head. A bearing housing is inserted into the bearing feed head and actuates the assembly cycle. The grease is forced through a central shaft into the bearing. The roller needles are injected by a blast of air about the central shaft to completely fill a circumferential opening which envelopes the shaft. After the grease is injected into the bearing housing a sleeve about the shaft is driven forward, thereby pushing the roller needles in their circular configuration into the bearing housing. The assembled bearing may be withdrawn from the feed position and another inserted.